The present system and method for tactile currency identification generally relates to the identification of physical items by tactile feel. More specifically, the present system and method for tactile currency identification relates to a system and method for the identification of bills by denomination using strategically positioned tactile indicators.
The bills printed by the Treasury Department of the United States of America have been changed in several respects over the last decade in an effort to hinder counterfeiting. Despite these changes, the bills used as United States currency have essentially retained the same size, shape and feel, regardless of denomination. The same is true for many non-government issued bills. Such bills are used for various purposes, including but not limited to use as a training aid for the visually impaired or as faux currency in board games.
The lack of tactile distinctiveness between various denominations of these bills poses a significant problem for the blind, and the visually impaired. Some foreign nations have designed their bills in an effort to make the denominations of those bills identifiable by touch to the blind and/or otherwise visually impaired. For example, some foreign currency systems reflect different denominations of bills by different sizes and/or colors. In addition, some foreign currencies use an insert, Braille element, perforations, or a raised element in their currency to identify bill denominations to the visually impaired.
However, these existing designs do not utilize the relative positioning of various inserts, Braille elements, perforations, and/or raised elements to promote identification of the denomination of the currency. In addition, the level of tactile feel provided by these designs may be problematic to the blind and/or visually impaired who also have limited sensation in their extremities, which is a common problem among diabetics.